Ex-grand prix star details expensive path to reaching MotoGP

Niall Mackenzie has shared details of how much money he spent trying to reach MotoGP in the 1980s, much of which came from his salary as a construction worker, and prize money. 

Mackenzie spent roughly £14,000 as he went through the ranks, which started with buying his own Yamaha RD350LC in 1981. 

Funding your career was something many riders experienced during that era, especially those who began competing with full-time jobs. 

That is very different to the current situation young riders face now, many of which are provided a better route into world championship racing, whether it be via sponsorship help, or a multitude of different championships that offer a more direct passage, as well as better visibility to teams.

But for Mackenzie, starting out as a 19-year-old involved buying his own motorcycle, as well as covering the costs of his entry fees, fuel and any crash damage. 

Mackenzie managed to do this while only earning £90 a week as a construction worker. 

Speaking to Taylor Mackenzie as part of a documentary on YouTube, Niall Mackenzie said: 

“The first season, I guess, I didn’t feel like I was going to make a career in racing. 

“I was just enjoying the thrill, enjoying riding the bikes, enjoying finding some new race tracks. But, I was also winning, and each time I won, I wanted to win a bit more. 

“I watched other races that were going on in the UK and there were some riders at my level who were actually progressing up to national level. 

“Some even progressed to better careers. So, I had seen that these guys that started club racing made their for whatever reason, whether it was lucky breaks, or big sponsors, or being talent spotted. 

“That gave me a bit of inspiration in my second year.”

To get started, Mackenzie bought his Yamaha for £1,086, before spending around £70-£100 per event. 

However, Mackenzie would make money back by winning races as many of the events offered prize funds. 

In his first year, Mackenzie spent around £2,000, a figure which then grew to roughly £4,000 in his second season, as Mackenzie bought his own van for transportation, while also continuing to fund his own race entries and fuel.

By year three, Mackenzie was still funding his career albeit in more competitive championships.

To make this all possible, Mackenzie admitted he, his mother, and a sponsor all chipped in roughly £2,000 each. This amounted to going racing for £6,000. 

The need for such funding would be over soon however, as Mackenzie was signed by the Armstrong factory race team after just three appearances in 1983. 

One year later, Mackenzie was a full-time racer in the 250cc grand prix class.